My Jungle

When Hisham left New York in March 2020, he felt rejuvenated by his experience, having been exposed to work by exciting artists and feeling energised to start afresh. During lockdown in Bahrain, he spent hours walking in local forests, taking in nature and often in solitude. By turning his previous seascapes into landscapes, Hisham intentionally introduced strong, bright colours into his palette, creating a new and extremely personal approach to landscape painting. His landscapes show him at a reflective crossroads, seeing himself suddenly as an artist immersed in an ocean of colour, then changing perspective as if he’s sitting in a tree, watching the natural world unfold from above. He jumps around from place to place, drawing on memories and dreams to complete the vivid landscapes he carefully composes. Through the luscious tones of green, the deep blues and purples and the brilliant pinks and yellows, all applied with his trademark fiery brushstrokes, we get a magical insight into the beautiful, bountiful new world he is swimming, walking, and immersing himself in, both on his canvas and in reality.

Text by Mysa Kafil-Hussain